During a regional conference on “security, governance and development”, the representative of Beijing called for “rejecting the abuse of unilateral sanctions”.
Le Monde with AFP
China offered its mediation for the settlement of “disputes” in the Horn of Africa, Monday, June 20, at the opening of a conference with the countries of this region where Beijing has many interests, noted a AFP journalist.
The first conference “China-Corne of Africa on Security, Governance and Development” brings together until Tuesday in Addis Ababa China, represented by its special envoy for the Horn of Africa, Xue Bing, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda, represented by a minister or an ambassador. Eritrea, guest, was not present.
“I am ready to provide mediation to the peaceful settlements of disputes, on the basis of the will of the countries of this region,” said Xue Bing, whose appointment in February showed Beijing’s determination to get involved Diplomatically in this region plagued by various conflicts, in Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan in the South in particular. China has a port in Djibouti and its only military base in Africa, capable of securing its enormous economic interests (transport, industry, energy, etc.) in the region.
“We have learned from history that the Horn of Africa should not become the backyard of any country,” said the Chinese special envoy, recalling that “many had suffered” from ” Colonial domination “and that” the confrontations of the Cold War had brought the burns of war on the continent “. He called to “avoid interference in internal affairs from other countries” and to “reject the abuse of unilateral sanctions”.
American sanctions
The United States withdrew in November Ethiopia from an important trade agreement, AGOA, due to human rights attacks committed within the framework of the conflict between November 2020 the government to the rebels of the region of the region Tiger, and imposed sanctions in Eritrea in 2021 due to its involvement in this conflict. On a visit to Asmara in January, the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, had expressed the opposition of China to American sanctions against Eritrea, a closed country living under an authoritarian regime.
m. Xue said he was “convinced” that the Horn of Africa has the capacity to “resolve its differences via dialogue and consultations”, even if “certain differences are difficult to apprehend because they go back to colonial era”. He also announced the availability of China to support various projects in terms of food security, health, transport, trade promotion or skills strengthening.
“This initiative belongs, is directed, managed and managed by the countries of the horn, and China has only one role of support,” said Redwan Hussein work, national security advisor Ethiopian Prime Minister. “These are our problems and the solution must come from the interior. The success or failure of this conference will depend on us and no one else,” he added.